Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano returned to the cage to headline the first mixed martial arts event promoted by Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions brand at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
Rousey, 39, made quick work of Carano, submitting her via armbar in just 17 seconds. Rousey, the UFC's inaugural women's bantamweight champion, had not fought since a knockout loss in December 2016. Carano, 44, made her first walk to the cage in nearly 17 years.
The theme of MMA returns ran through the main card. Nate Diaz put on 4-ounce gloves for the first time in nearly four years to face Mike Perry, who earned a second-round TKO due to a doctor's stoppage after Perry opened a cut on Diaz's head. Diaz's last MMA fight was in September 2022, while Perry, a fellow former UFC fighter, had not competed in MMA since April 2021.
Francis Ngannou also ended a nearly two-year stint away from MMA with an emphatic first-round knockout win over Philipe Lins.
Brett Okamoto and Andreas Hale break down the main card action live from the Intuit Dome.
MVP MMA 1 results:
Women's featherweight: Ronda Rousey def. Gina Carano by SUB1
Welterweight: Mike Perry def. Nate Diaz by TKO2
Heavyweight: Francis Ngannou def. Philipe Lins by TKO1
Lightweight: Salahdine Parnasse def. Kenneth Cross by TKO1
Heavyweight: Robelis Despaigne def. Junior dos Santos by KO1
Welterweight: Namo Fazil def. Jake Babian by SUB2
Catchweight: Adriano Moraes def. Phumi Nkuta by SUB3
Welterweight: Jason Jackson def. Jeff Creighton by KO1
Featherweight: David Mgoyan def. Albert Morales by unanimous decision
Catchweight: Aline Pereira def. Jade Masson-Wong by split decision
Catchweight: Brandon Jenkins def. Chris Avila by split decision
